Stonekeep

About

"Stonekeep is a critically acclaimed role-playing game that immerses you in a dark, epic fantasy world. Explore ancient corridors, battle supernatural foes, and wield weapons and magic in your quest to defeat evil and reclaim your immortal soul. Journey through varied locations such as fairy realms and goblin lairs, and experience a detailed storyline that unfolds based on your choices."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 85 reviews

story7 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Stonekeep is a nostalgic classic that brings back fond memories for many players, offering a unique blend of RPG elements and dungeon crawling.
The game features an engaging story with interesting characters, and its voice acting adds charm to the overall experience.
Despite its age, the game still provides a fun and challenging gameplay experience, especially for fans of old-school dungeon crawlers.

The graphics and gameplay mechanics feel dated, which may deter modern players who are accustomed to more polished experiences.
The inventory system is cumbersome and can be frustrating to navigate, making item management a chore.
The game can be overly challenging at times, with some players getting stuck due to its complex puzzles and lack of guidance.

story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
55%
14%
The story of the game is praised for its engaging and fun narrative, with a rich backstory that unfolds as players progress through various underground biomes. While some find the plot to be somewhat generic and complicated, the presence of entertaining characters, full voice acting, and the use of motion capture technology enhance the overall experience. Exploration is encouraged, with hidden elements adding depth, making it a nostalgic journey for many players.
- “The story is fun, and it develops much more fully as you progress into the game.”
- “If you are new to the game you are in for about 20 hours of story wrapped into an atmospheric and intricate system of dungeons.”
- “The plot is centered around the character Drake, who as a boy witnessed the people of Stonekeep being destroyed by an evil god named Khull-Khuum and is saved just in time by a goddess named Thera.”
- “The backstory is pretty generic fantasy stuff.”
- “The story to Stonekeep is a little confusing and much of the backstory to the game was told in a novel that shipped with the physical release.”
- “The plot is fairly basic and the story is only really saved by the presence of some fairly entertaining characters and somewhat redeemable FMV sequences.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
65%
18%
The graphics of this cult classic, originally released in the mid-'90s, are widely regarded as dated and abysmal by modern standards, with many reviewers noting their pixelated appearance and overall lack of polish. However, for fans of retro RPGs, the nostalgic charm and vibrant colors can still evoke fond memories, even if the visuals may deter newcomers. Overall, while the graphics may not impress, the game's enduring gameplay and humor continue to resonate with its dedicated audience.
- “Cult classic; it would be nice to see a remake in HD graphics and a facelift.”
- “The visuals, the music, the sound effects, all brought me back to the days of DOS and running the CD-ROM via command line, then gaming for hours.”
- “Graphics convey and portray the game world in a believable manner; models and textures are clearly made with love, and everything has this bitty, pixelated look which is currently experiencing a renaissance.”
- “Graphics are abysmal compared to their former self.”
- “If there is no nostalgia for you, then you're going to notice the poor graphics, but the gameplay was pretty good considering how old it is.”
- “Warning: the game is sorely dated; for those unwilling to overlook the graphics, you should avoid this game.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
29%
43%
The gameplay of this classic DOS-era RPG is characterized by its grid-based dungeon crawling mechanics, reminiscent of titles like "Eye of the Beholder" and "Legend of Grimrock." While it offers some suspenseful moments, the experience is marred by outdated graphics, repetitive environments, and unpolished mechanics, making it less appealing to modern players who may prefer more refined remakes. Overall, it remains a nostalgic gem for dedicated fans of the genre, despite its flaws.
- “As far as gameplay is concerned, it's a 1st person grid-based dungeon crawler in the vein of the Eye of the Beholder series or the more recent Legend of Grimrock.”
- “Furthermore, although the mechanics are indeed interesting, I got the feeling they were somewhat unpolished.”
- “It is a cult game from the old DOS times, so as it runs with DOSBox, sure, a pearl for old RPG game worshipers. But considering the aged graphics and complicated gameplay with possible bugs, modern folks are going to similar remakes instead of this one. Anyway, it's nearly 30 years old and a remnant from the early DOS gaming.”
- “I hope I can be forgiven, but sometimes games had a better intro than their gameplay, and that was honestly almost the case here as well. From my perspective, although it is repetitive where corridors and such are concerned, this game also manages to create quite some suspense if you're open to it.”
- “It is impossible to feel the dust that layers on the UX and gameplay despite being a genre classic.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music and sound effects in the game are generally praised for their quality and atmospheric contribution, enhancing the overall experience. The soundtrack is noted as excellent and underrated, effectively evoking a sense of dread, although some find the battle music to be somewhat odd. Overall, the audio elements successfully complement the visuals and gameplay, reminiscent of classic gaming experiences.
- “I would note that the soundtrack is seriously underrated - it's excellent and full of dread.”
- “The visuals, the music, the sound effects all brought me back to the days of DOS and running the CD-ROM via command line, then gaming for hours.”
- “Music is atmospheric and adds to the feeling of your surroundings.”
- “The soundtrack is seriously underrated - it's excellent, and full of dread.”
- “Music is atmospheric and adds to the feeling of your surroundings, but the battle music is a bit weird.”
- “The visuals, the music, the sound effects, all brought me back to the days of DOS and running the CD-ROM via command line, then gaming for hours.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game features atmospheric environments that effectively immerse players, complemented by evocative music that enhances the overall experience, despite some oddities in battle themes. With around 20 hours of story set in intricate dungeons, the atmosphere is engaging, though the high fantasy voice acting may feel out of place for some, contrasting with the darker elements of the game.
- “Although you can probably count the pixels, the game still draws atmospheric environments.”
- “Music is atmospheric and adds to the feeling of your surroundings; battle music is a bit weird though.”
- “If you are new to the game, you are in for about 20 hours of story wrapped into an atmospheric and intricate system of dungeons.”
- “The voice acting is also pretty amusing, although some may find the high fantasy elements cringey and a strange contrast to the game's dark atmosphere.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, providing genuinely funny moments that keep players entertained despite the dated graphics. The use of FMV actors for enemies and NPCs adds a unique charm, often resulting in hilariously bad yet endearing performances. Overall, the humor effectively enhances the gaming experience.
- “Yeah, the graphics are '95 graphics, but the humor still puts me in stitches.”
- “It has some seriously fun and funny moments, and is fairly pleasant on the eyes.”
- “Most of the enemies and NPCs are all FMV actors, which is simultaneously hilariously bad at times while still being unique and oddly charming.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect is not directly addressed in the provided text, which focuses more on the game's music and atmosphere. However, it suggests that while the overall audio experience enhances immersion, there may be some inconsistencies, particularly with the battle music.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the game's journal system helpful for tracking stats and spells, but the grinding aspect can become tedious, particularly when misclicks during rune scribing lead to frustrating interruptions.
- “The game has a unique journal-based information system to keep track of your stats, NPCs, spells, etc., though it can be tedious to accidentally misclick somewhere while scribing runes and watch the drake just put everything away.”
- “Grinding feels like an endless chore, with little reward for the time invested.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged with the game.”